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LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
Two Copies Received 

JAN 12 1304 

!>, Copyright Entry 
CLASS^^'Mc?'no, 

y u i^ z ^ 

COPY 3 






Copyright 
M. ROBERTSON 
San Francisco 
1903 



TO MY MOTHER 
A little offering for a great love 



Preface 

Alas ! for the fate of the social reformer, 
Who finding things warm only makes things 
warmer. 

TT was from the mouth of the garrulous 
Polonius that Shakespeare let fall one of 
those inestimable pearls of wisdom wherewith 
his genius was so lavishly endowed: " Brevity 
is the soul of wit. " 0, brilliant truth ! And as 
condensation is the highest attainment in the 
art of literary expression, whether rhythmical 
or rhetorical, so over the portal leading to the 
temple of Fame are carven in letters of gold 
the words multum in parvo. 

Of late there has been a plethora of Proverbs. 
Some perverted from their proper use ; some 
cynically (and scenically) presented, to be 
calendered for all time; some the whimsies 
of a frivolous mind ; some eviscerated of all 
wit; others the evaporation of wisdom con- 
densed into a drop of fancy. 

The author of this little booklet has not 
attempted to rival these later Solomons in their 
loquacious utterances for the benefit of both 
the elect and uninstructed. Emerson has stated 
that '* Proverbs, like the sacred books of each 



nation are the sanctuary of the intuitions." 
They are also an epigrammatic epitome of the 
common sense of the people, which neither the 
wit nor the jester, the satirist nor the sage, can 
entirely invalidate. 

And there are no wiser commentaries to the 
prosaic tomes of Time than those proverbs 
which the peoples of all nations have originated. 
Indeed, many a proverb would serve as a fitting 
epitaph for mighty empires passed away. 

It would be futile therefore for the writer of 
these pages to claim absolute originality for 
his production. But by casting them into a 
rhythmical form, after usages of eastern nations, 
it is hoped they may be easily memorized, 
and serve the apter purpose of quotation for 
the minister, the lecturer, the author, the 
orator, the lawyer, the publican, and all those 
wiser Philistines of our day whose modicum 
of morality is dispensed from their philters of 
wit one drop at a time. 

No other merit is claimed, 

And where no reward is expected, no rebuke 

should attend, 
•• With which moral I drop my theorbo," and 

come to an end. 



Whenever you would give advice 
Be not too liberal; keep a slice. 

This is the law by which to live : 
To give to get, to get to give. 



No want of will will always be 
No want of opportunity. 




It will not help your feet to 

mount 
To look upon the steps and 

count. 



'Tis not the luster of the 

blade 
Which makes the enemy 

afraid. 






Silence hath many ways 

For winning Wisdom's praise. 

Quickly is love's duration reck- 
oned, 

With woman a minute, with man 
a second. 

How great their folly who suppose 
The thorn adds richness to the 
rose. 

It is through what they instigate 
Some men succeed in being great. 



If quality be nature's law 
Then Jacob still should rule 
Esau. 




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■fHIMillM 



'T is those who trust their all to 
Chance 

Who think fate rules each cir- 
cumstance. 

Lament the present not the past 
If few of Fortune*s gifts thou 
hast. 

Even the greatest wisdom fails 
When weighing love in even 
scales. 

'Tis deeper wisdom to refrain 
Than to presume to speak in 
vain. 

Make of Adversity a friend; 
Much precious lore hath she 
to lend. 



Sk 





Better the envy of the witty 
Than to be looked upon with pity. 

A compromise however bad 
Is better than a lawsuit had. 

It often needs two swords to keep 
Another in its sheath asleep. 



We may die with thirst at the 

brink of 
The fountain we once scorned to 

drink of. 



Millions are spent for pride 

a pence 
Suffices for benevolence. 




O vain pursuit! to angle for a 
fish 

Which would not fill the poor- 
est beggar's dish. 

The more 't is rainbows that we 

chase 
The more we madden in the 

race. 

Think not all playthings are for 

boys, 
The oldest dotard hath his toys. 

Who buys nor pays for what he 

got 
May sell what he would rather 

not. 




mmm 



The youth is apt to scorn at 

age, 
While folly envieth the sage. 






Sessions presided o'er by hate 
Never see cause to arbitrate. 

A most precarious life he leads 
Who judges others their misdeeds 

More covetous the wish 
More grievous is the dish. 

Strong are the legs which can sup- 
port 
Prosperity of every sort. 



Let not the wise spurn fools 

in speech; 
Whom better could their 

wisdom teach? 




A single penny fairly got 
Is worth a thousand that are 
not. 



If greatness were enough for 

one 
The cow would soon the hare 

outrun. 



O strange that this should ever 

be, 
The bowl drowns more than 

doth the sea! 




ilfMIMilM 



In Life's great volume every 

leaf 
Reveals the water-mark of 

Grief. 



Not even fate can claim control 
Over man's fortitude of soul. 






*Tis wise to drop the jest 
Then when it pleases best. 

Second by second Time proceeds, 
And yet he sows eternal deeds. 

As it is meted thee so meter; 
This were a law for Paul or Peter. 



Do thou good deeds and in the 

doing 
Remember they will bear renewing. 



To-morrow's wealth can- 
not outweigh 

The priceless value o£ To- 
day. 






The singing birds among 

the trees 
Sing not the public ear to 

please. 



A thousand die of drinking first 
Ere one will die of bitter thirst. 



Only a fool will care to boast 

Of where his shoe doth pinch the most. 



These are the things which we can trust, 
Words of the wise and counsels of the 
just. 



Companionship in all distress 
Makes tribulations seem the less. 



© 



Though hand and heart are of one body 

both, 
The hand to strike the heart is nothing 

loth. 





A fool however young in years 
Knows some things better than the 
seers. 



There is a law for each occasion; 
Another law for its evasion. 



Much must he deal in courtesies 
Who every one alike would please 

A hundred years of slight 
Make not one hour of Right. 



In every joyful meeting 
Some heart may be with 
sorrow beating. 






Courageous hearts far less 
will boast 

Than those in want of cour- 
age most. 




Not always are they free from care 
Who dance unto some joyful air. 



Vain thought to make the wisest laugh, 
The cow thinks she was ne*er a calf. 



A landmark good protection yields 
Though placed between two brothers' 
fields. 



Think not by beating of a drum 

That fame and wealth to thee will come. 



® 



Pride never found a more sumptuous 
niche 

Than the heart of a beggar grown sud- 
denly rich. 





What cause have wealthy men for 

pride? 
No shrouds bear wallets on the 

side. 

The coward still finds cause to fear 
Though peril may be never near. 

No wind is good of any sort 
To him who steereth for no port. 

The lightest burden on the back 
Will seem in time a heavy sack. 



Birds sometimes their 

griefs assuage 
By bruising wings against 

their cage. 




Who buys hath always eyes too 

few; 
Who sells, one eye for him will 

do. 



Who always speak do only sow; 
Who listen reap what others 
know. 

This adage learn and treasure 
long, 

Challenge no fool to do thee 
wrong. 

Deeper the cut that 's made by 

pride 
Than if a sword should pierce 

the side. 




Like glow-worms sparkling in 

a pit 
Our spirits gleam awhile then 




When care of time is set adrift 

The moments then seem doubly swift. 



Nought which the wise contemn is worse 
Than empty head with heavy purse. 



However slow, however fast. 
The river still keeps flowing past. 



Make your expenditure to-day 

Not what you would but what you may. 



@ 



"Work that is play, and play that is work"; 
The wisdom of life is, neither to shirk. 



JAN 12 1904 



iiifillL 

P015 973 520 5 • 



